The Running Thread - 2016

[PrincessV]

My two boys and I ran our "Superhero 2.5K" yesterday evening. It was a really cute race, but my 10 year old had a serious case of "tween attitude." I think part of the fact was that he was tired (we always stay up later during summer break) and had been playing with friends all day, but he had the worse attitude at the start of the race. He was not running, he was not walking fast, he was SAUNTERING! I decided to just let him and I ran with my 7 year old, but then we stopped and waited for him. Anyway, by the end he was excited to be there, but it just bugged me b/c I'm used to my kids being happy by whatever I'm excited about, and I am not ready for the jaded teen thing haha.

So, this was more of a parenting rant than a running one- sorry! I've just been so excited to share my love of running with my kids. This was the first time I felt like it didn't work out.

Oh yes, been there, done that! My son is 14 now... he's the one who got me started with rD because he liked the idea of running a 5K at Disney - he was 9 at the time. He lost most interest shortly after turning 10, and has had NO interest in running for a couple years now. Don't take it personally - it's just teen stuff and figuring out what THEY like as individuals!

I just want mid-to-back of the packers to know there are lots of us out there!

I'm here! I only care about speed for as long as it takes to training for and finish a PoT race, lol! Then I let it ride for a couple years until I need a new one.

As I am beginning, is it correct to only run the three days a week, following the program? The other days, is it good to do non-running like elliptical, DVD workouts, and walking? I have the desire to do more. I also want to prevent injury.

Also, do some people use more than one app to track miles? For example, C25K tracks, but if I do a fourth run during a week, it has to erase one so the total miles are not accurate.

It is also confusing about developing the right run. I watched some videos about not heel striking. It should be midfoot. Then today I felt like I was reaching out with my toes. It felt unnatural.

Any insights and feedback are appreciated! Thank you!

Congrats on getting started! I think 3 days/week is a perfect starting point. You may decide down the road that you want and benefit from running another day or two per week, but it's not necessary and probably isn't a good idea at this point yet. I used to run most days for fitness, but quickly realized I needed to scale back when I started building mileage for distance running. I work on strength on my non-run days with yoga, Pilates, and strength training - I think everyone can benefit from adding some kind of strength work to their running, but you have to find the things you like best and work best for you! I use iSmoothRun for my runs because I like its features, but then I sync it to Runkeeper to store all of my data. You could use Runkeeper as your data storage and use it on its own for non C25K app runs, I'd think? Personally, I don't believe there's any one "right" way to run: let your body move in whatever way it feels best!

 

[baxter24]

QOTD: What training program did you use when you first started running if any? Why did you make that decision?

I didn't use a plan for the first 5k that I ran. In my head, I figured I should start out by running a mile without stopping. Once I was able to do that, I increased the distance slowly till I got to running three miles (just once) before the race. I started using a plan a friend created for me once I started training for a half marathon.

 

[PrincessV]

QOTD: What training program did you use when you first started running if any? Why did you make that decision?

I'd been run-walking for a couple decades before I ever used a plan, but never tracked distance or pace, so I didn't really know what I was doing when I decided to do a first 5K race. And I had my 9yo son, who wasn't a runner at all, to consider, too. I went with some 5K run-walk plan from the Mayo Clinic; I Googled and that one looked good! It actually turned out to be a great plan, too.

 

[RunDisneyDad]

Just got back from the Florida Panhandle...geez, hot and humid. I'm used to the heat, but the humidity kicks it up to a new level.

ATTQOTD: I have no idea what I used way back in the day, but when i got back into Marathoning in 2014 I went to halhigdon.com and picked one of his programs.

 

[HomeiswhereMickeyis]

QOTD: What training program did you use when you first started running if any? Why did you make that decision?

I'm restarting running this year and I'm making my own plan/program after a lot of research and looking at a lot of programs because I know my body and how much I should push myself at this point. I am thinking about picking a program after my 5k in November to prepare for the princess 10k.

 

[cburnett11]

QOTD: What training program did you use when you first started running if any? Why did you make that decision?

Specifically it was a C25K app called "Get Running". I probably picked it because I liked the screen vs. other C25K apps I saw available. It worked to get me up to running about 30 minutes or whatever. I didn't have a race though as a carrot at the end. I wasn't sure "what to do" after I completed the app, so I downloaded another one that got me to the 10k distance (or time). Sometime after completing the 5k to 10k app, I signed up and completed a 1/4 marathon. It was another year before I tackled a 1/2 marathon, and I did that by using a training plan in RunKeeper that Jeff Gaudette designed.

 

[FFigawi]

QOTD: What training program did you use when you first started running if any? Why did you make that decision?

For my first marathon, I used the program from Sportsbackers, the training group in Richmond. I believe it's based on Higdon's plans. I then moved on to Higdon's 50-mile plan for my first ultra a few months later. I really like his plans for new runners because they offer a nice balance of work and recovery and tend not to be so severe as to cause overuse injuries.

 

[Kathymford]

QOTD: What training program did you use when you first started running if any? Why did you make that decision?

I wanted to follow Jeff Galloway's RunDisney training plan, but didn't like that it was on paper (there has to be an app!) and I found his app, so I started folowing that. And by following it I mean I ran with it once before my first 5k and 2-3 more times with it before my first 10k. lol. Over that last three years I've switched between a lot of apps (there are so many!) that provide training plans. I've actually been thinking about going back to them now to see if I can increase my running intervals ... but after DUMBO.

So, I got really excited and input my next 4 weeks of planned runs into my FR 235. This made my OCD very happy and got me excited to go run again. Good thing considering my race is just about here. I did my first back-to-back runs this weekend: Saturday, easy jog and Sunday, more of a tempo run I guess (my plan just says fast lol). I used this run to test out some new intervals. 60 sec run: 30 sec walk. This is definitely something I was not used to. In all of my time doing intervals, I think my shortest walk break has been 1 minute. I really tried to concentrate on not strolling during the walk (bad habit lol). Over 3 miles, I had to skip about 3 of the intervals at the end. Not too bad I think for the first time trying it and fastest run since being injured.

It was definitely a hard run, I could feel it in my legs all day yesterday and even a little bit today. There will be more stretching tonight. My Garmin said my recovery period should be 3 days!! LOL. The plan had me doing speed intervals on Tuesday, but I think I'm going to switch it to a jog ... just to be safe.

 

[Mickey's sweetheart]

AQOTD: I didn't follow a plan when I first started. A new neighbor moved in across the street who was an incredibly talented runner, as in sponsored runner in college and trained with Olympic hopefuls after college. She asked if I was a runner and when I said no, she said I should be because I had the right build. She kept after me and eventually I relented. She took me to buy my first pair of shoes and coached me the first year.

 

[Chasing Dopey]

On a related note for those of us afflicted with the Y chromosome, we gotta worry about the ol' moobs - they don't make sports bras for us, and unfortunately glide seems to wear out after 10 miles or so (for me at least). Circular bandaids work, but then they'll peel off, so what's a guy to do?

I have the answer! (and Amazon links)...

Nexcare Sensitive Skin Low Trauma Tape

EK Tools Circle Punch, 0.75-Inch

The tape stays on, and is not as harsh as transpore medical tape when taking it off. Obviously, the hole punch comes in different sizes for personalized needs.

This really is the perfect solution.

 

[Anisum]

QOTD: What training program did you use when you first started running if any? Why did you make that decision?

I also started with C25K with the intention of working up to that, then the 10k, then keeping my miles steady until it was time to start the GSC Galloway plan on the runDisney website. I succeeded in doing so but failed to account for the 10 miles or so I would walk around the parks which I think should probably be considered when doing a rD race. The whole reason I started running in the first place was to do GSC but prior to training the task of 13.1 miles seemed like an impossible feat.

 

[Barca33Runner]

ATTQOTD: No plan when I started. I had tried to start exercising/running so may times before and it never stuck until this time. Getting signed up for a race was the motivation that finally worked and improving my times and increasing my distance were the motivation I needed to keep going. I still don't really follow a training plan, but I am getting closer to being at a level where I think a plan will be necessary to keep making gains.

 

[surfde22]

QOTD: What training program did you use when you first started running if any? Why did you make that decision?

I think the first training plan I used when I got back into running was one of the training programs on the Nike+ Running app. I have since found other plans I like better, but it wasn't bad for a beginner.

 

[Nikfour]

I received an email from Run Disney for the princess weekend 2017. The Princess looked like Belle with a rose...although it was just a black shadow. A lot of people have been saying it's Snow White. Do you think the pic on the email is a clue?

 

[Chasing Dopey]

I received an email from Run Disney for the princess weekend 2017. The Princess looked like Belle with a rose...although it was just a black shadow. A lot of people have been saying it's Snow White. Do you think the pic on the email is a clue?

According to DW, the hair, the rose, the castle, and the dress can only be Belle (even in silhouette). Whether or not that is definitely the theme of the race is unknown, but boy did the graphics people goof it up if that's supposed to be Snow White!

 

[keahgirl8]

I hate that part of the C25K. It just seems to go from walking at reasonable intervals to "don't walk, just run" which isn't all that realistic as many people employ the run/walk/run method as their overall technique..

Yeah...If I was doing that, I would have quit by now. When I got to 5 minutes of running, I thought I hated running.

QOTD: What training program did you use when you first started running if any? Why did you make that decision?

ATTQOTD: I started out with couch to 5k. I did so, because I had ran in high school and knew I need a little structure to get me back into it.

I Believe this (C25K) will be a popular reply to todays question, but was just curious who has tried something different.

I did C25K, but I quit around week 4 when I learned about Jeff Galloway. He's the reason I'm still running.

According to DW, the hair, the rose, the castle, and the dress can only be Belle (even in silhouette). Whether or not that is definitely the theme of the race is unknown, but boy did the graphics people goof it up if that's supposed to be Snow White!

I'll tell you where the Snow White thing came from. In 2014, Anna and Elsa were on the mile 13 marker. In 2015, they were the princesses. In 2015, Ariel was on the mile 13 marker. In 2016, she was the princess. So began a conspiracy theory that the mile marker 13 princess would be the following year's princess. There was never any confirmation from Disney on this and it only happened twice. In 2016, Snow White was on mile marker 13. This led everyone to become convinced she would be the 2017 princess, even when all of the graphics came out with Belle's sillhouette and the roses. But what about the theory? That's all it was. A theory. The graphics, in addition to the fact that the live action movie comes out next year, leads me to be almost 100% certain it's Belle. Then again, I'm not betting anything on it until I hear it from runDisney themselves.

 

[mrsgryphon]

QOTD: Share your date and data (or experience) from your very first training run (during your most recent attempt to start running). So this may not necessarily be your first run in high school (etc.), if you since had taken a very long break between then and when you started up again.

This was a great QOTD. Now that I have access to my data I'll answer.

My most recent start into running was September 2014 and I started with C25k. My first day was 1.78 miles at an overall pace of 16:54 min/mile on the treadmill. I needed every second of every walk interval when I started. 13 months after that I finished my first half marathon at an average pace of 10:47 min/mile.

 

[Chasing Dopey]

I'll tell you where the Snow White thing came from. In 2014, Anna and Elsa were on the mile 13 marker. In 2015, they were the princesses. In 2015, Ariel was on the mile 13 marker. In 2016, she was the princess. So began a conspiracy theory that the mile marker 13 princess would be the following year's princess. There was never any confirmation from Disney on this and it only happened twice. In 2016, Snow White was on mile marker 13. This led everyone to become convinced she would be the 2017 princess, even when all of the graphics came out with Belle's sillhouette and the roses. But what about the theory? That's all it was. A theory. The graphics, in addition to the fact that the live action movie comes out next year, leads me to be almost 100% certain it's Belle. Then again, I'm not betting anything on it until I hear it from runDisney themselves.

Ooooh... I see. Also, the 25th anniversary edition comes out later this year, so Belle seems to make more sense.

 

[LindseyJo22]

I keep forgetting to add this thread back to my watch list.

ATTQOTD - I used the Jeff Galloway app the most recent time I got back into running. I had previously used the C25K, but I found that the interval method led to a much better running experience. Running an entire 20 minutes or so had previously given me some knee issues, and I haven't had that happen since I started using intervals. Plus, it got me to stick to running - I've now run a 10k, I can run 2 miles straight through if I want to, and I'm training for the Athens Half in October and Princess Half 2017. I'd say that the Galloway approach really helped me to enjoy the experience of running

Now I'm using a mashup of the Galloway and Hal Higdon half marathon plans, topping out a little higher than Higdon's highest distance but using most of his weekday runs as a guideline instead of Galloway's time guidelines.

 

[Waiting2goback]

I have the answer! (and Amazon links)...

Nexcare Sensitive Skin Low Trauma Tape

EK Tools Circle Punch, 0.75-Inch

The tape stays on, and is not as harsh as transpore medical tape when taking it off. Obviously, the hole punch comes in different sizes for personalized needs.

This really is the perfect solution.

I use these "band aids". I am not promoting you buy them from Target necessarily it just happened to be the first site that popped up with them on it.

http://www.target.com/p/nexcare-wat...gclid=CPWutdGes84CFY08gQod20ED_Q&gclsrc=aw.ds

If you put them on and get a good seal they are almost impossible to get off even in the shower because they are waterproof. I can't begin to tell you how many times I have had these on the next day after a long run or race because I forget they are there or I just can't get them off. They do the trick though.


QOTD: Here is one of my biggest weaknesses, training plans. I have never followed one. When I first started running I looked at a bunch to get an idea what I was supposed to be doing but I never followed anything specific. During training for my first marathon I would do 4-5 days of running and my easy runs would be about 6 miles. I would do an 8-10 mile run, and my long run for the week. I know moving forward, when I can finally start pushing myself again, I will need a legit training plan and I will be asking @DopeyBadger for help. Hopefully he will not be burnt out helping people by then.

I went back to RunKeeper to see my first runs outside when I began. I started on a treadmill in the winter and then I started outside on 4/1/14. Looking at those first few weeks it was obvious I had no idea what I was doing. It's kind of funny.